Le Figaro Nantes
To discover
Follow all the news of the city of Nantes
Their anger does not subside.
They are even considering taking the case to court.
And this, despite the announcement of an action plan on January 18 by the mayor of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, concerning a composting platform operated by Compost In Situ and which has been emitting unbearable odors in the town for eight months. .
"The mayor assures us that if the odors persist after March 31, the DDPP [Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations] will not give an exemption and may be able to request a shutdown of the site"
, communicated the residents of this town located at the gates of Nantes, who are demanding the relocation of the composting platform.
The latter, Terra Ter, recovers bio-waste from neighboring businesses or communities and transforms it into compost, which is redistributed free of charge to local farmers.
Located 50m from the first houses, it made the inhabitants live through hell this summer, during the heat wave.
Some days, it was no longer possible to have lunch on the terrace, to hang up your laundry or to activate your VMC.
During this winter period, the olfactory nuisances have calmed down but sometimes come back depending on the direction of the wind.
And the dissatisfaction of the Respire collective at La Chapelle, which brings together more than 200 people, is growing.
Read alsoNantes: the collection of bio-waste by bike will come back to life with Les Alchimistes
For several months, they have highlighted breaches of the regulations concerning the construction of this structure.
They point the finger in particular to a lack of declaration which would have allowed an installation less than 200m from dwellings, a distance normally illegal for an ICPE classified site (Installation Classified for the Protection of the Environment).
This classification is studied by the State services.
A new calendar of actions
On January 18, a meeting was held between the representatives of the collective and the town hall, designated mediator in the management of the conflict.
The tension was palpable: "
The operators of the site were not invited
", denounces the collective, which felt despised when it had prepared technical questions for Compost In Situ.
“
We are making fun of us
”, continues Jean Iemmolo, the spokesperson for the inhabitants, recalling that one of the deputy mayors is co-manager of the SCIC Nord Nantes, which owns the land on which the platform is built.
During this mediation, the City indicated that mediation could
“take different forms with bipartite meetings as in the present case”
.
She also announced to the inhabitants a schedule of actions after having previously attended a meeting with the DDPP, a department of the prefecture which has the power to grant exemptions or suspend the project, and the management of Compost In Situ .
“We asked Terra Ter to propose corrective measures, in connection with the services of the State
”, confirms to
Figaro
Fabrice Roussel, the mayor of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre.
Among them, the emptying of the pit, more regular evacuation of waste... “
The tank is being emptied.
We set up a mulch above the pit to neutralize odors
“, explains Dana Pfeuty, director of Compost In Situ, who observes that since then, the odors have almost disappeared.
As for the bacterium which was partly responsible for the odors, it is no longer relevant but a specialist company must come by to check that it does not return.
A new juice recovery system is also to be installed.
These developments, which represent approximately €40,000, will not be paid for by public authorities.
Initially, this private project had been subsidized by the city, ADEME and the region.
Other similar projects, under study, should see the light of day in the Nantes metropolitan area.
Could the site close?
The goal is for odors to completely disappear on March 31.
But if they persist, will the site close?
Difficult to get a precise answer.
Contacted, the DDPP did not respond to our requests.
The mayor, on the other hand, refers to the prefecture and ensures that he is "
mobilized to find solutions
".
Residents do not have confidence.
“
We do not believe much in March 31.
Already, in relation to the schedule, an odor study was to begin last week of January.
She didn't start.
Likewise, they were talking about closing the last week of January and it hasn't started
,” says Jean Iemmolo.
On the retroplan consulted by
Le Figaro
, the closing work is spread over the last two weeks of January and the first two of February.
As for the "
nose jury with the involvement of local residents
", it must be spread over five weeks, with a start initially planned for the last week of January.
Read alsoHow to make compost successfully?
These elements annoy the residents who have decided to turn to justice.
Especially since we had promised them, before the installation, that there would be no unpleasant odors.
They have contacted a lawyer and will meet soon to discuss the financial arrangements that this would entail.
If the sum is met, they plan to file a complaint and write to the prosecutor.
In addition to these olfactory nuisances, they also denounce the sound problems with the passage of trucks near their homes and regret that the prefect “
is absent subscribers
”.
In the meantime, they hope that “
April 1, the first day of the total cessation of nuisances, will not be another farce!
»
